Things to Do in Southeast Asia in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
December Weather in Southeast Asia
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
- + The northeast monsoon sweeps in cool air, shaving four degrees off the usual sticky dawn. Instead of waking to 28°C (82°F) humidity, you open the shutters to 24°C (75°F) and a breeze that feels like borrowed autumn.
- + Six months of enforced silence end when Thailand’s Andaman coast swings open the gates to the Similan Islands. Peak dry season delivers water so sharp you can count fins at 30 m (98 ft); dive masks fog only from excitement.
- + Across rural Laos and northern Thailand, paddies turn to beaten gold. Villagers spill from timber houses and set long tables in the lanes, celebrating the rice harvest beneath terraces that glow like molten metal for photographers.
- + Christmas week flips the script in Buddhist countries. Those beach bungalows that demand 3-month advance booking in February shrug and take walk-ins, leaving last-minute planners with prime sand for the price of a smile.
- − Night in northern Vietnam and Laos drops to 15°C (59°F). You will rummage for layers you never thought to pack, cursing Southeast Asia’s reputation for eternal heat while zipping up against the chill.
- − Indonesia’s wet season turns Java’s volcanic paths into slick brown chutes. Mount Bromo sunrise treks get cancelled 40% of December days when the trail becomes a muddy slip-and-slide.
- − Between December 20-31, Angkor Wat’s dawn platform turns into a 500-person tripod forest. Holiday crowds quadruple, and the only silence is the click of shutters.
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
December marks the Andaman Sea’s opening week after the May-November closure. Water temperatures hover at 29°C (84°F) with 30 m (98 ft) visibility—the best you will see all year in Thailand. Currents are gentle, making this beginner-friendly despite the offshore location. The islands themselves are closed to day-trippers, so liveaboards provide the only access to empty beaches between dives.
December’s 70% humidity (vs 85% in October) turns evening cycling into a pleasure rather than a punishment. The 26°C (79°F) sunset rides through Rattanakosin Island weave past 10+ stalls—charcoal-grilled pork skewers at Wang Lang Market, boat noodles in Banglamphu—without the sweat-soaked shirt you would earn any other month.
December gives you the Mekong at its photogenic best. Water levels sink to expose sandbanks tailor-made for lunchtime stops, while 27°C (81°F) days make the 2-day journey comfortable without air conditioning. Harvest season means riverside villages toast passing boats with sticky rice whiskey and traditional music that drifts across the water.
December’s dry air scrubs the sky to its clearest sunrise of the year. Temple silhouettes stand sharp 15 km (9.3 miles) away through the dawn haze. At 5 AM the thermometer reads 18°C (64°F), so climbing Shwesandaw Pagoda in the dark feels brisk, not brutal. Balloon flights lift off daily under flawless weather windows.
December’s dry season turns Chiang Mai’s cloud forests into hiker heaven. Trails that morph into waist-deep rivers every September firm into perfect 6-hour loops to Karen villages. Daytime 25°C (77°F) temperatures make multi-day trekking bearable, and clear nights drop to 15°C (59°F)—cool enough for campfires yet warm enough for simple guesthouses.
December Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Mountain villages around Sa Pa (Vietnam) and Mae Hong Son (Thailand) burst into color during harvest celebrations. Traditional dress, crossbow competitions, and courtship rituals fill the lanes. Week-long festivities center on village squares where elders swap stories over rice wine while teenagers toss the pov pob ball under strings of bulbs.
December 5th brings nationwide celebrations—Bangkok’s Ratchadamnoen Avenue flickers with candlelight vigils, while Phuket’s Patong Beach launches fireworks that shimmer across the flat Andaman Sea. Most government offices close but tourist services operate normally.
Essential Tips
What to pack, insider knowledge and common pitfalls